Centrifugal-vortex refrigeration system



Ju y 1967 .1. B. ALEXANDER 3,332,253

CENTR IFUGAL-VORTEX REFR IGERAT ION SYSTEM Filed July 7, 1965 INVENTOR John 8. Alexander BY John A. Faker/3 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,332,253 CENTRIFUGAL-VORTEX REFRIGERATION SYSTEM John B. Alexander, 2140 Brookwood Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28211 Filed July 7, 1965, Ser. No. 470,032 7 Claims. (Cl. 62499) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A continuous cycle rotary refrigeration unit and heat pump with vortex recycle means leading from the condenser to the evaporator.

The present invention relates to an improved rotary refrigeration system that can also be used as a heat pump, and is more particularly concerned with a new rotary refrigeration system having an evaporator, compressor, condenser and vortex liquid recycle transfer tube which rotate as a single unit in a manner which promotes higher cooling efiiciency in a more compact structure.

The concept of using rotary or centrifugal compressing means to condense a refrigerant gas has been recognized and employed in various prior art refrigerating systems. Most, if not all prior art rotary refrigerating systems use stationary refrigerant passageways combined with a rotating wheel which imparts centrifugal force to compress the refrigerant. There are various disadvantages in prior art rotary refrigerating equipment such as friction losses and other losses between the fixed and rotating members and losses caused by the inability of the rotating wheel to impart total static and velocity head to the refrigerant. Some other notable disadvantages of various prior art systems which reduce the efficiency of the system are the need to periodically stop the cycle to transfer condensed liquid from the condenser to the evaporator, use of a separate pump to transfer liquid from the compressor to the evaporator, use of numerous rotary shaft seals to prevent refrigerant leakage, and use of stationary evaporators combined with a rotary compressor-condenser.

All of the devices listed above as well as my device and many others use the common refrigerants which have a definite pressure temperature relationship. Even water has been considered as a possible refrigerant because it will boil at a given temperature while under a given pressure. When the pressure is increased, the temperature must also be increased or boiling will cease and condensation will start. Under readily obtainable pressure, Water boils at too high a temperature to use for cooling.

When refrigerant boils or evaporates, it takes up heat and when it condenses it gives up heat. A specific example of a safe nontoxic refrigerant which operates at a reasonable pressure is Freon 114. At approximately 6 pounds pressure it will boil and take up heat until the surrounding temperature is down to 55 degrees. If the pressure is raised to 30 pounds, it will condense and not boil even up to 97 degrees. This means that for air conditioning one can cool air to 55 and take up the heat in the refrigerant, then liberate this heat in 95 degree air if one raised the pressure or compressed the gas to 30 pounds pressure. This pressure difference is also sufficient to move the refrigerant from the hot coil to the cool coil and one uses the same refrigerant over and over.

In addition to finding a satisfactory refrigerant, much time has been spent in developing improved methods of compression. Piston type compressors are most commonly used; centrifugal and rotary compressors are also frequently used even though the pressure differential obtainable is not as great. Most of these machines require special seals to prevent loss or contamination of the refrigerant and some type of separators must be provided to keep the oil in the compressor. The device of this invention has no moving parts within the area occupied by the refrigerant; therefore, there is no way for anything to contaminate the refrigerant, there are no moving parts to wear and there are no seals or valves where a leak can occur.

In addition to centrifugal force which provides pressure for compression an dsubsequent condensing of the refrigerant, the other natural phenomenon which the device of this invention uses is seen in nature as a whirlpool or vortex. When the rotation is forced, this becomes a forced vortex and the liquid is said to have vorticity. An example of a forced vortex is an automatic washing machine on the spin cycle Where it forces the water from the bottom of the tub up the sides and out through slots at the top of the tub. In a vortex, the various levels of pressure follow the shape of a parabola which is revolved about its axis and becomes a parabolid of revolution. The circumferential vortex recycle section and parabolic transfer tube sections of my refrigeration unit are specifically shaped to take advantage of the vortex and uniform pressure lines formed by the rotating liquid refrigerant to recycle the refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator.

In my device the entire machine is turning and the speed and size (radius) are so adjusted to the refrigerant that a vortex is formed within the pipes. The liquid surface of a vortex is a surface of constant pressure which means that the condensed liquid will exist at a constant pressure in all parts of the parabolic liquid transfer tube and will flow back to the evaporator along the surface of constant pressure without the aid of valves or pumps.

An object of this invention is to improve the efficiency of the refrigerant cycle by eliminating some of the retarding factors in prior art rotary refrigerating equipment.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a more compact and a more eflicient continuous refrigerating unit that may be used with any desired number of similar units to obtain a desired degree of cooling. 1

Another important object of this invention is to provide a refrigerating system in which compression, evaporation and recycling of the refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator is effected by centrifugal action of the rotor assembly, thereby avoiding the use of separate compressors, evaporators, recycling means, and other commonly used accessories.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a refrigerating system which has no moving parts in the internal spaces in which the refrigerant gasses and liquids flow.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improved cooling system that can be readily converted to a heat pump.

Other objects and advantages within the scope of this invention relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to the combinations of parts, elements per se, and to the economies of manufacture and numerous other features which will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawings of a form of the invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a single refrigerating unit of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the refrigerating unit shown in FIGURE 1.

My invention provides a refrigeration device which does not require moving parts in the internal spaces which are filled with refrigerant gasses and liquids. This not only eliminates the possibility of internal wear and subsequent replacement, but also eliminates the need for any form of lubricant which will contaminate and/or reduce the effectiveness of the refrigerant. My invention also eliminates the need to move the refrigerant liquid and/ or gas from a stationary to a moving or rotating space. This in turn eliminates the need for any special refrigerant seal to contain the refrigerant as it moves from the stationary to the rotating or moving section. Further, my invention presents a refrigeration device which when reduced to its basic elements requires only one hollow tube which serves to provide the complete refrigeration cycle when rotated. This device operates independent of objects of inertia not in motion, does not require a hollow shaft, does not require periodic starting and stopping, does not require a nozzle or expansion device, and does not require any syphoning action.

In its most basic form, my device is a continuous hollow tube or pipe mounted on a shaft which is rotated by a belt driven or a direct driven motor or engine; any rotating means may be used. The closed tube or pipe is mounted on the shaft as shown in FIGURE 1. When rotated, the refrigerant in the tube will be forced away from the shaft by centrifugal force. This force will be sufi lcient to cause condensation in the area farthest removed from the shaft and the liquid thus condensed will take the shape of a vortex with respect to the shaft. The entire refrigerant cycle of compression, condensation and evaporation will occur simultaneously and continuously so long as the tube is rotated.

In order to more fully explain the operation, the parts of the tube have been identified according to their function. In FIGURE 1 the evaporator chamber which is shown as item 4 can be a U-shaped section of tube with one end connected to the parabolic shaped liquid transfer tube 8 and the other end connected to the compression section 5. The evaporator should be located at the closest point to the shaft or relatively close to the shaft. Herein at a low pressure, the liquid refrigerant will evaporate or boil to a gas. The low pressure gas moves by centrifugal force from the evaporator to the condenser section 5. This part of the tubing extends radially outward with respect to the shaft from the evaporator to the condenser. The condenser chamber shown as item 6 can be a U-shaped section of tube similar to the evaporator. Here the gas under higher pressure due to centrifugal force will be condensed into a liquid. The condenser 6 is connected to the compressing section and to the circumferential vortex recycle section 7 which is a return tube from the condenser to the evaporator. Both are located at the greatest distance radially from the shaft. The circumferential vortex recycle section 7 will be filled with liquid refrigerant during rotation of the unit. The vortex principle and inertia will move the liquid through the circumferential vortex recycle section 7 from the condenser to the parabolic liquid tnansfer tube 8. The parabolic liquid transfer section '8 is shaped to allow the liquid at the highest point of the vortex to flow back to the evaporator section along a surface of constant presure along its entire length. This surface of constant ressure which is found in a vortex will permit the liquid to return to the evaporator chamber even though the device continues to rotate. Since evaporation may take place in this area, the parabolic liquid transfer tube should be insulated. Although this will not affect the functioning of the refrigerant cycle, it will affect the efficiency of the evaporator as related to the total cycle.

FIGURE 1 shows a projected view of a single unit. A group of these units could be superimposed about the axis of rotation to provide balance and cooling capacity as required. FIGURE 2 shows how this unit is mounted within some air -bafiles and used as a cooling device. The dotted lines show the location of the air baflies 12 and the arrows show the direction of air flow both warm and cool. To increase the air flow sections of tubing in the refrigerant units could be formed in the shape of fan blades to move the ambient air as it revolves. These units would be located in multiples about the common axis of rotation to provide the necessary dynamic balance and total refrigerating capacity desired. Motor 1 which rotates shaft 2 by belt drive or direct drive is in a fixed position which naturally does not rotate. Bracket 3 connects the complete tube circuit to shaft 2. In the drawings bracket 3 is shown connected to the evaporator 4 but it can be connected at any point on the circuit that will insure a firm bond between shaft 2 and the unit. In evaporator 4 the refrigerant liquid evaporates and absorbs heat. As the liquid is evaporated, the gas formed is forced through compressor section 5 by centrifugal force which is set up by rotating the unit. The centrifugal force causes an increase in pressure which condenses the gas to a liquid and produces the forced vortex which forces the liquid through circumferential vortex recycle section 7 and into the upper part of the parabolic liquid transfer tube 8. Spacer bracket 9 holds the circumferential vortex recycle section 7 and the parabolic liquid transfer tube 8 in the correct relative position to insure transfer of the liquid from condenser 6 to evaporator 4 to complete the carnot cycle. In a four circuit system, three additional circuits would replace the three spokes 10 with the spacer bracket 9 of each circuit clamped to the circumferential vortex recycle section 7 of each circuit.

The drawings are intended to be schematic in order to clearly show the mode of operation of my invention. Modifications may be in this structure without departing from the spirit of my invention. In order to confine all evaporation or boiling to the evaporator 4, it is necessary to 1nsulate the parabolic liquid transfer tube 8 and the circumferential section 7. In order to confine all condensation to the condenser 6, it is necessary to insulate compression section 5. It should be noted here that the refrigerant gas and liquid will flow as described in the carnot cycle free of the presence of insulation covering; however, the insulation will direct the transfer of heat to the sections where it can be most effectively used.

The circumferential vortex recycle section 7 is connected to condenser 6 in such a fashion that the liquid in the condenser forms a liquid seal that prevents the compressed refrigerant from entering section 7 before it is condensed to a liquid. Evaporator 4 and condenser 6 are shown schematically and can have any shape as required or desired with fins added to the outside if necessary to insure total heat transfer equal to the capacity of the circuit. The cooling capacity of a given unit will be determined by the magnitude of the radius of condenser 6 about the center shaft which will govern the intensity of the pressure in the condenser 6, the pressure in the evaporator 4 which will be determined by its radius about the center shaft 2, and the speed of rotation which will effect the total capacity to transfer heat.

The ratio of the radius of the evaporator 4 to the radius of the condenser 6 will determine the compression ratio. This ratio can be set as desired or required by the refrigerant used.

This description of the preferred embodiment was limited to a continuous hollow tube shaped to form in sequence an evaporator section, a compressor section, a condenser section and a circumferential vortex recycle section. However, a continuous tube is not necessary since an individual evaporator could be connected in fiuid communication with a separate compressor, condenser and recycle means in the same relative sequence and position and each individual section can have any known shape desired.

Another important modification of this invention is to convert the cooling unit of this invention into a heat pump by providing adjustable air bafiles 12 that reverse the direction of air flow. This device could then be used to heat or cool an area as desired.

It may be seen from the foregoing description that the in ta t invention has provided a more economical refrigeration or heating unit from the standpoint of production and operation.

The foregoing discussion makes it apparent that many modifications may be made in the illustrative details of this invention without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotary refrigeration unit comprising a shaft, means to rotate said shaft, an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser structurally connected for rotation with said shaft, said evaporator located close to said shaft, said compressor extending radially away from said shaft and said evaporator having one end in fluid communication with said evaporator and the other end in fluid communication with said condenser, said condenser located at the greatest radial distance from said shaft and being in fluid communication with vortex recycle means to recycle the refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator.

2. The rotary refrigeration unit of claim 1, wherein said means to recycle the refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator is a circumferential vortex tube having a parabolic shaped liquid transfer tube which is in fluid communication with said evaporator and being structurally connected to rotate with said shaft.

3. The rotary refrigeration unit of claim 2, with air baflles to reverse the direction of air flow so that the unit can be used as a heat pump.

4. The rotary refrigeration unit of claim 1, wherein a continuous hollow tube mounted on said shaft, forms in sequence an evaporator section, a compressor section,

a condensing section, and said refrigerant recycle section, said recycle section consisting of a circumferential vortex tube having a parabolic shaped transfer tube leading back to said evaporator section.

5. The rotary refrigeration unit of claim 4, with air baflles to reverse the direction of air flow so that the unit can be used as a heat pump.

6. The rotary refrigeration unit of claim 2, wherein said circumferential vortex tube, said parabolic transfer tube and said compressor section are insulated.

7. A rotary heat pump unit comprising a continuous hollow tube mounted on a shaft, means to rotate said shaft and said hollow tube, said hollow tube being shaped to form in sequence an evaporator section, a compressor section and a condenser section, said evaporator section being closest to said shaft, said compressor section extending radially outward from said shaft and said evaporator section, and said condenser section located at the end of said compressor section which is at the greatest radial distance from said shaft, and vortex recycle means to recycle refrigerant -from said condenser to said evaporator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,727 2/ 1923 Smith 62499 X 2,522,781 9/1950 Exner 62499 2,724,953 11/1955 Justice 62499 2,924,081 2/1960 Justice 62499 X 3,013,407 12/1961 Justice 62499 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A ROTARY REFRIGERATION UNIT COMPRISING A SHAFT, MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT, AN EVAPORATOR, A COMPRESSOR AND A CONDENSER STRUCTURALLY CONNECTED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID SHAFT, SAID EVAPORATOR LOCATED CLOSE TO SAID SHAFT, SAID COMPRESSOR EXTENDING RADIALLY AWAY FROM SAID SHAFT AND SAID EVAPORATOR HAVING ONE END IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID EVAPORATOR AND THE OTHER END IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CONDENSER, SAID CONDENSER LOCATED AT THE GREATEST RADIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID SHAFT AND BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH VORTEX RECYCLE MEANS TO RECYCLE THE REFRIGERANT FROM SAID CONDENSER TO SAID EVAPORATOR. 